As we move into 2025, it is important for people in New York who are getting ready to retire or going through a divorce to know how marriage, divorce, and Social Security benefits work together.
Millions of Americans depend on Social Security to help them pay their bills, and the benefits you get can depend on how many times you have been married.
This is what you need to know about how getting married or divorced in New York will change your 2025 Social Security benefits.
Impact of Marriage on Social Security Benefits
When you get married, it can have a big effect on the Social Security benefits you get, both while you are alive and after the death of a spouse. As in the rest of the country, your Social Security benefits may go up after you get married in New York. This is especially true if you are eligible for spousal benefits or survivor benefits.
Spousal Benefits
If you are married, you may be able to get spousal benefits based on the Social Security record of your spouse instead of your own. As a spouse, you can get up to 50% of your spouse’s benefit as long as you are at least full retirement age (FRA), which depends on your birth year and is either 66 or 67.
- If your spouse has worked and paid into Social Security, you can choose to claim spousal benefits once you reach FRA. If your own benefit is lower than your spouse’s, you can receive the higher amount.
- If you begin claiming spousal benefits before your FRA, the amount will be reduced, and it can be permanently lower than the full 50% benefit.
Survivor Benefits
You might be able to get survivor benefits if your spouse dies. How much you get will depend on how much your spouse made and when you start getting survivor benefits.
- In most cases, you can receive 100% of your deceased spouse’s benefit if you claim survivor benefits at your FRA.
- If you claim early, your survivor benefits will be reduced, but you can start them as early as age 60.
- Survivor benefits are particularly important for widowed individuals, as they may provide a higher amount than the individual’s own Social Security benefits.
Impact of Divorce on Social Security Benefits
Divorced Spouse Benefits
If these things are true, you might be able to get benefits based on your ex-spouse’s Social Security record, even if they have remarried:
- The marriage lasted at least 10 years.
- You are single at the time you apply for the benefits.
- You are at least 62 years old.
- Your ex-spouse is entitled to Social Security benefits (whether or not they are currently receiving them).
- The benefits you are entitled to receive based on your own work record are less than what you would receive from your ex-spouse’s record.
The benefit you are entitled to as a divorced spouse is generally 50% of your ex-spouse’s benefit, as long as you wait until your FRA to claim. If you start claiming earlier, the amount will be reduced.
Divorce and Survivor Benefits
Based on their Social Security record, if your ex-spouse dies, you may also be able to get survivor benefits. These benefits are like the survivor benefits that widows and widowers can get, and the following rules apply:
- If you were married to your ex-spouse for at least 10 years, you may qualify for survivor benefits, even if you’ve remarried, provided that your subsequent marriage occurred after age 60.
- The amount of survivor benefits you are eligible to receive will depend on your ex-spouse’s earnings record and when you claim.
2025 Changes to Social Security and Marriage/Divorce Rules
The basic rules for getting Social Security benefits based on marriage and divorce probably will not change much in 2025. However, here are some important changes and updates you should be aware of:
1. Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
The Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is used to make sure that Social Security benefits keep up with the cost of living every year. There will probably be a COLA increase in 2025. This will raise the amount of benefits people get, like spousal and survivor benefits. This increase will affect everyone who gets Social Security, whether they are married or divorced.
2. Changes to Full Retirement Age (FRA)
The Full Retirement Age (FRA) for people born after 1960 is 67. If you want to get spousal or survivor benefits, this will change when you can get the full amount. More so when you are getting close to your FRA, you need to know how timing affects your benefits. Benefits will be less if you claim them before your FRA.
3. Earnings Test for Social Security Benefits
If you are working and getting Social Security benefits, like spousal or survivor benefits, the earnings test could change how much you get each month. If you make more than a certain amount of money before you reach full retirement age, your Social Security benefits may be cut for a short time.
The FRA earnings limit is expected to go up in 2025. This means that you may be able to make a little more money without affecting your benefit payments. As soon as you reach FRA, however, you can earn as much as you want without affecting your Social Security benefits.
How to Maximize Your Social Security Benefits in 2025
There are a few things you can do in 2025 to get the most out of your Social Security benefits, no matter if you are married, divorced, or widowed:
- Delay Claiming Benefits: The longer you wait to claim your benefits, the higher your monthly payments will be. If you can afford to wait, delaying your claim until you reach age 70 can result in a significant increase in the amount you receive.
- Coordinate With Your Spouse: If you’re married, you may want to coordinate with your spouse to determine the best time for both of you to claim Social Security. By carefully considering your claiming ages and strategies, you can maximize the total benefits you both receive.
- Consider Your Divorce Record: If you’ve been divorced, ensure that you understand your right to claim benefits based on your ex-spouse’s record. Remember, you can claim spousal benefits or survivor benefits based on your ex-spouse’s earnings, even if they have remarried.
- Consult a Social Security Expert: Social Security rules can be complicated, especially when dealing with marriage and divorce. It may be worth consulting a Social Security expert or financial advisor who can help you navigate the best approach for your situation.
Conclusion
In New York, getting married or divorced can have a big effect on your Social Security benefits in 2025. If you want to get spousal benefits, survivor benefits, or divorced spouse benefits, you need to know what you need to do to be eligible and how changes to the law could affect you.
You can make the most of your benefits and make sure you get the money you deserve if you plan ahead and know what you are doing. Always check to see if there have been any changes to the rules for Social Security in 2025 to make sure that your benefits are calculated and sent to you correctly.
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